Systems and methods for performing downhole formation testing operations

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for performing downhole formation testing operations. Certain methods include deploying a downhole toolstring of a downhole formation testing system to a downhole location within a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation, wherein the downhole toolstring includes a single packer positioned near a lower end of the downhole toolstring; setting the single packer within the wellbore to isolate one or more zones of interest of the subterranean formation in a lower portion of the wellbore below the single packer from an upper portion of the wellbore above the single packer; and, after setting the single packer within the wellbore, using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on one or more fluids received from the one or more zones of interest by the downhole toolstring.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 deploying a downhole toolstring of a downhole formation testing system to a downhole location within a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation, wherein the downhole toolstring comprises a single packer positioned near a lower end of the downhole toolstring;   prior to setting the single packer within the wellbore, deploying and setting a first downhole barrier of the downhole formation testing system within the wellbore at a first downhole location below the downhole toolstring and the single packer; and
 deploying and setting a second downhole barrier of the downhole formation testing system within the wellbore at a second downhole location above the first downhole barrier and below the downhole toolstring and the single packer; 
   setting the single packer within the wellbore to isolate one or more zones of interest of the subterranean formation in a lower portion of the wellbore below the single packer from an upper portion of the wellbore above the single packer; and   after setting the single packer within the wellbore, using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on one or more fluids received from the one or more zones of interest by the downhole toolstring.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first downhole barrier comprises a retrievable bridge plug. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising, after setting the single packer within the wellbore:
 using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on a first fluid received from a first zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a first interval of the wellbore between the first downhole barrier and the second downhole barrier; and   using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on a second fluid received from a second zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a second interval of the wellbore between the second downhole barrier and the single packer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second downhole barrier comprises a bore extending axially therethrough to enable flow of the first and second fluids between the first and second intervals of the wellbore. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 determining, using one or more sensors of the second downhole barrier, at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids; and   using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on the first and second fluids based at least in part on the at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise:
 an upper sensor positioned on an upper side of the second downhole barrier; and   a lower sensor positioned on a lower side of the second downhole barrier.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second downhole barriers comprise retrievable bridge plugs. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising casing and perforating the one or more zones of interest prior to deploying and setting the single packer within the wellbore. 
     
     
         9 . A downhole formation testing system, comprising:
 a downhole toolstring configured to perform downhole formation testing on one or more fluids received from one or more zones of interest of a subterranean formation, wherein the downhole toolstring comprises a single packer positioned near a lower end of the downhole toolstring, and wherein the single packer is configured to be set within a wellbore extending through the subterranean formation to isolate the one or more zones of interest of the subterranean formation in a lower portion of the wellbore below the single packer from an upper portion of the wellbore above the single packer;   a first downhole barrier configured to be deployed and set within the wellbore at a first downhole location below the downhole toolstring and the single packer prior to setting the single packer within the wellbore; and   a second downhole barrier configured to be deployed and set within the wellbore at a second downhole location above the first downhole barrier and below the downhole toolstring and the single packer prior to setting the single packer within the wellbore.   
     
     
         10 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first downhole barrier comprises a retrievable bridge plug. 
     
     
         11 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 9 , wherein the downhole toolstring is configured to:
 perform downhole formation testing on a first fluid received from a first zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a first interval of the wellbore between the first downhole barrier and the second downhole barrier; and   perform downhole formation testing on a second fluid received from a second zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a second interval of the wellbore between the second downhole barrier and the single packer.   
     
     
         12 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 11 , wherein the second downhole barrier comprises a bore extending axially therethrough to enable flow of the first and second fluids between the first and second intervals of the wellbore. 
     
     
         13 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 12 , wherein the second downhole barrier comprises one or more sensors configured to determine at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids, and wherein the downhole toolstring is configured to perform downhole formation testing on the first and second fluids based at least in part on the at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids. 
     
     
         14 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise:
 an upper sensor positioned on an upper side of the second downhole barrier; and   a lower sensor positioned on a lower side of the second downhole barrier.   
     
     
         15 . The downhole formation testing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second downhole barriers comprise retrievable bridge plugs. 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 deploying and setting a first downhole barrier of a downhole formation testing system within a wellbore at a first downhole location extending through a subterranean formation;   deploying and setting a second downhole barrier of the downhole formation testing system within the wellbore at a second downhole location above the first downhole barrier, wherein the second downhole barrier comprises:
 a bore extending axially therethrough to enable fluids to flow therethrough; 
 an upper sensor positioned on an upper side of the second downhole barrier; and 
 a lower sensor positioned on a lower side of the second downhole barrier; 
   deploying a downhole toolstring of a downhole formation testing system to a third downhole location within the wellbore above the first and second downhole barriers, wherein the downhole toolstring comprises a single packer positioned near a lower end of the downhole toolstring;   setting the single packer within the wellbore to isolate first and second zones of interest of the subterranean formation in a lower portion of the wellbore below the single packer from an upper portion of the wellbore above the single packer; and   after setting the single packer within the wellbore:
 using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on a first fluid received from a first zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a first interval of the wellbore between the first downhole barrier and the second downhole barrier based at least in part on at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids detected by the upper and lower sensors of the second downhole barrier; and 
 using the downhole toolstring to perform downhole formation testing on a second fluid received from a second zone of interest by the downhole toolstring in a second interval of the wellbore between the second downhole barrier and the single packer based at least in part on the at least one of flow or volume rates of the first and second fluids detected by the upper and lower sensors of the second downhole barrier.